Proposed Recipient: Arlington, Texas Police Department

Address of Recipient: 101 West Abram Street, Arlington, TX 76010

Amount of Request: $900,000

Project Description and Statement of Public Benefit:

As Arlington continues to host large-scale, high-attendance events across multiple venues and entertainment corridors, expanding our operational drone fleet is critical to maintaining rapid response capabilities. Increasing both Drone as First Responder (DFR) assets and portable UAS platforms will enhance the ability to provide immediate aerial situational awareness, reduce response times, support perimeter security, and assist with suspect tracking, crowd monitoring, and incident management. Fixed DFR assets positioned near major venue clusters will allow aircraft to launch within seconds of a call for service, while portable systems will provide field operators and specialized units with flexible deployment options during dynamic operations. Expanding this fleet ensures comprehensive coverage during extended events.

At the same time, Arlington must address the growing threat of unauthorized and malicious drone activity. As the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) continues — particularly heavy-lift agricultural (“crop-dusting”) drones capable of carrying and dispersing airborne substances or delivering other dangerous items over populated areas — the City’s risk profile has evolved. These platforms are commercially accessible, can carry significant payloads, and introduce a heightened threat environment for stadiums, transportation corridors, entertainment districts, and critical infrastructure. Proactive UAS identification and mitigation capability is essential to address malicious aerial activity, including threats from domestic terrorism and weaponized payloads.